COUNCIL DELAYS HOUSING CODE REVIEW

After listening to impassioned testimony on two issues not on the Cape Girardeau City Council agenda Monday, the staff elected to take up both matters at the next meeting.

Theresa Wright offered a myriad of examples of deplorable living conditions in her apartment at 238 South Sprigg to urge the city council to take up the matter of minimum standard housing codes as quickly as possible.

"I spend $15 to $25 a week on roach spray," said Wright. "The roaches are posing a health threat to my children and have taken away any chance at what I would call a normal lifestyle."

Wright supplied members of the city council with pictures of her apartment, which has been without an effective furnace for eight months.

"I pay $28 of the rent, which is $355 a month," said Wright. "The taxpayers and federal government are paying for the rest. I have asked my landlord to take care of the furnace and other things and he hasn't done anything."

Said Councilman Doug Richards, "These people sit back and draw huge checks for rent and do nothing. We need to put a stop to this through legislation. These conditions are pathetic."

Councilman Mary Wulfers made a motion to put the matter of minimum standard housing codes on the agenda for the next city council meeting. Councilman Al Spradling III suggested the city send a letter to Wright's landlord threatening to take action if conditions are not improved.

"I think we need to do something like that right away and we should also take a look at where we are as a staff on this issue because these conditions are just deplorable," said Spradling.

In another matter, the city council elected to take another look at the parking situation at the 400 and 300 blocks of Louisiana Street, which are close to the 96-car parking lot at Southeast Missouri Hospital.

A petition was brought to the city council by Michael Bellou asking the city to repeal, rescind or amend Ordinance No. 1490 and Ordinance No. 1492. "I would ask that you consider substituting an ordinance containing language establishing a no parking zone on Louisiana Street on the east and west sides, from the corner of Broadway and Louisiana Street, south along the east and west curb lines for a distance of 235 feet," said Bellou.

Wulfers moved to study the proposed changes at the next city council meeting.

A requested provision to the no parking zones for the 400 and 300 blocks of Louisiana Street would be for "east and west sides of the street, from the corner of Broadway and Louisiana Street, south along the east and west curb lines for a distance of 235 feet. This distance allows for a no parking zone of 43 feet from the Southeast Hospital driveway curb line, or, 35 feet from where the Louisiana Street curb line has been angled to meet the north radius of the driveway.

"Yellow striping would be applied on the east side curb line, directly opposite the West side driveways of the residences located at 321 and 317 North Louisiana Street."

Said Bellou, "At this time the east side location is a vacant lot and no ill effects would befall the property owner."

Bellou provided testimony of Louisiana Street residents who indicated they are unable to invite friends or attend to day-to-day needs due to the no parking situation.

Bellou maintained that the needs of the residents on Louisiana were overlooked in favor of those of Southeast Missouri Hospital. "It seems like there is more of a concern to take care of those using the parking lot at Southeast Hospital than there is for the people who live in the neighborhood," he said.

Cape Girardeau Police Chief Howard "Butch" Boyd indicated he requested the ordinance for no parking signs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the east and west sides of the 400 block of North Louisiana to eliminate danger from hospital emergency traffic.

"The street is just not wide enough to accommodate parked cars on both sides and emergency vehicles that would need to go through there," said Boyd. "With cars parked on both sides of the street, there would only be seven feet of clearance and that's not enough."

"In essence, both ordinances passed by the city council knowingly or unknowingly have turned the 400 block of North Louisiana into a private drive for the pleasure of Southeast Hospital vehicles," said Bellou, who noted that there are only three available parking spaces under the current ordinances.